Posts Tagged ‘floor’

I love a good entrance, especially one that makes a fabulous first impression! The entry to a home is like an appetizer for the gorgeous rooms you’re about to see. So in my farmhouse project, recently featured in Traditional Home, I wanted to set the tone here for the rest of the home. This is a farmhouse, but it’s a chic one that’s family friendly, too. That’s why I did a checkerboard pattern on the entry floor instead of a rug – it’s a gorgeous design, but it’s also easier with kids running in and out all day.

This house was a new build, so I was able to add a lot of the traditional elements you might see in a much-older Southern farmhouse, like the molding details, and the fun oval window on the stairs. I love the shape, and it adds so much light.

And here is also where I started using the lovely aqua that you see throughout this home. It not only envelopes the front door, but it’s also painted on the ceiling of the front porch. A blue color on the porch ceiling is a big tradition in the South!

You can see here how I also introduced subtle farmhouse details, like gingham on the chair and stair runner, a traditional balustrade, and a vintage wooden horse.

This corner right behind the door will give guests a view into the dining room, too, so I wanted to give it a bit of punch and also tie the entry into the adjoining room’s decor.

I did that by introducing the chocolate brown that’s another signature color in this home’s palette. And I used a fabulous painting of an old farmhouse with a tin roof as a nod to the history of this family and their own modern-day farm.

What do you think of this fun entrance? And what does your home’s entry say to visitors? Let me know in the comments section below!

If you’re working on a new build or a major renovation of your house, adding fabulous architectural details can not only help you get the bones of your home right, it can add a lot of value to the house!

My project in the April issue of Traditional Home was a brand new build, so we had a great opportunity to work with the architect and contractor to bring in some terrific features and ideas to complement and enhance the farmhouse design. If you’re interested in adding special details in your home, consider these ideas:

Isn’t that a beautiful home? Let’s review those ideas for adding architectural details:

1. Reclaimed beams are a great environmentally-friendly idea, but they also add a stunning look to a room!

2. Creating a checkerboard pattern (or other pattern) with different wood tones creates a floor so gorgeous that you don’t even need to cover it with a rug. It’s pretty and tidy!

3. I used old barnwood in the master bedroom, but ran it horizontally on the walls to be a bit more modern and painted it with a creamy tone to really enhance the farmhouse style!

4. Paneled doorways and a coffered ceiling added luxe design details in the formal living room and around the home.

5. For a little whimsy, I used the “silhouette” of a baluster to turn this stair railing into a fun architectural feature instead of typical stair style.

6. In the entry, the architect suggested an oval window and I loved it! Adding panel molding not dresses it up with more character and makes the home feel like it’s old and charming.

As famed architect Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe once said, “God is in the details” and I agree it’s the details that make a difference when you’re designing a home. What architectural features are your favorites? Let me know in the comments section below!

By the time you read this, I should be back into my new house because yesterday was moving day! It’s been so much fun to watch the last few details get nailed down and put into place as we hit the home stretch over the last few days. I have never seen so many hard-working people helping me get this house ready and pull off my move.

One thing in my house that is a serious workhorse this week (and will be for years to come) – but rarely gets the glory – is all of the lovely flooring. We have traipsed dozens of boxes, appliances, sofas and more across them already and they are just getting started supporting all our activities in our newly remodeled home.

The beautiful black-and-white Emser Tile in my entry literally made me jump up and down – it’s just that pretty! It’s called Times Square so it reminds me of my favorite city and I just love this classic look. It’s clean and sophisticated, and it will really make a statement for guests as they enter my house. ProSource has been a fabulous sourcing partner to help me find the perfect look for each room and they have the best vendors who have been such a joy to work with!

If you’ve been paying attention to this regular column of mine, you may have also seen a hint of what the floors in my kitchen and wet bar just might be, too!

A little like another of my favorite places, this floor is reminiscent of a Paris Bistro. And though it looks like marble, it’s glass. This cool new product from Daltile looks great and doesn’t show anything, especially dirt and lint. I LOVE it!

And upstairs in the guest bath, these grey marble hexagon tiles from Speartek give the room a soft glow. It’s another classic look that really makes an impact, even if it isn’t the first thing you’ll notice in this room.

There are so many pretties on the floors of this house, I can’t decide my favorite, but in the running is definitely the fabulous Daltile mosaic floor in the master bathroom! Don’t you just love that classic Greek key motif around the border?! It is such a stunning design and turned out even better than I imagined!

And don’t forget all the gorgeous AND eco-friendly wood floors from Shaw in a warm color called “Wheat Penny.” They cover a lot of my home. With our allergies, pets, and kids, I definitely wanted the old, dirty carpet that came with the house out of there and sleek and beautiful hardwoods in its place. Now just walking up my stairs and seeing hardwoods span the length of the house and into my yoga room makes me feel more calm and relaxed. Namaste Shaw Flooring!

So what do you think about my new floors so far? Do you like the classic look of black and white that runs through much of the house? Give me your comments in the section below!

There is a design dilemma that I’m asked about ALL the time: Wall-to-wall carpet or rugs? I actually like both options, and there are a lot of great looks for carpet and rugs at all price points! I know there are some out there who feel strongly on both sides of the question, even in the same family, which can create a headache when you’re redesigning your home!

So I thought I’d give you some ideas to consider to help you make a decision that suits your family’s lifestyle and your rooms. Let’s take a look:

Those tips really will help you figure out which one is right for you and the function of your home! Here’s a recap of what we saw:

1. Rugs help define a space for you, which is nice when you have a room that serves several purposes. And another great thing is that a rug also will let you see any gorgeous hardwood or tile floors beneath it.

2. I like to use room-sized rugs to really pull a room together. You get the best of both worlds that way!

3. For those of you with kids or pets (or both!), another great thing about rugs is that they can be easily picked up to be cleaned or to change them out when you tire of them.

4. On the other hand, carpets are often softer and more plush underfoot than a rug is. They are also warmer and add a different level of luxuriousness.

5. And carpet also really pulls a room together and creates a cohesive look, which can be important in an open-plan space.

I hope this has helped you with any carpet-vs.-rug dilemmas you may be having in your home! Let me know which one you prefer in the comments section below!

One of my favorite parts of a house is the entry – I think that’s where you can really set the tone for the rest of the home. In one of my recent projects, the entry was anything but inviting, and it didn’t really reflect the warm and wonderful personality of my clients!

So that tiny and cramped entry had to go – and in its place I created a welcoming space that made all the difference! Here are some tips for how you can create that fabulous entry in your home:

Now that’s better, right? Let’s recap how to roll out the welcome mat in the entry:

1. If you have an awkward or tiny space for your entry, consider where you could expand the area. For my client, we relocated a powder room nearby to gain the extra square footage we needed.

2. Go with the flow! Create a good flow from your front door into the other spaces of your home.

3. A gorgeous floor makes all the difference in a foyer – it’s a good focal point since an entry rarely has a lot of furniture in it.

4. Think open and airy in your entry. You want this area to really set the welcoming tone to pull people through into the rest of the house.

5. Don’t be afraid to look at your space with a fresh set of eyes to see all the possibilities for change!

So what areas in your home need a new look? What could you do differently? Let me know in the comments section below!